EMBATTLED CHIEF JUSTICE OF NIGERIA, ONNOGHEN TENDERS ‘RESIGNATION’ LETTER

However, Onnoghen has denied all the allegations, but the National Judicial Council (NJC), in a public statement, said that it had reached a decision on allegations of fraud against the former Chief Justice, as well as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Muhammad Tanko.

Penpushing further learnt from a source that the recommendation by the National Judicial Council (NJC) was that, Onnoghen should go on compulsory retirement, while it also recommended a confirmation of Tanko’s appointment as Chief Justice of Nigeria.

The spokesman of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Awassam Bassey, in reaction to the ‘resignation’ of his boss, was quoted saying  he could not confirm, explaining that he was out of town, adding, “I am not in Abuja and I have been trying to confirm that, but I have not gotten the details yet,” .

Penpushing also reports that, as at the time of filing this report, the Presidency was yet to confirm receipt of the ‘resignation’ letter, but source in the Presidency said the President, before travelling to Jordan on Wednesday, received the National Judicial Council’s (NJC) recommendations on the petitions written against Onnoghen and the Acting Chief Justice Tanko Muhammad.

The 69 year old former Chief Justice was born in Kruiku Town, Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State, and got his Law Degree from the University of Ghana, Legon, in 1977 before his BL Certificate at the Nigerian Law School in 1978.

Penpushing reports that, Onnoghen started his career as a Pupil State Counsel in the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, in 1979, after which he ventured into private practice, and in 1989 returned to public service as Judge in the High Court, Cross River State.

The former Chief Justice was the first of 20, from the Southern part of Nigeria in 32 years, who joined the Federal Judicial Service in 1998 as Justice of the Court Appeal, a position he held until 2005 when he was elevated to the Supreme Court.

Penpushing recalled that, following his recommendation in October, 2016, he was not confirmed by the Presidency till February 2017 when the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo confirmed his appointment, and thereafter sworn in on March 7, 2017. He is expected to resign on December 22, 2020, upon the attainment of the age of 70.